Reflective display device

ABSTRACT

A construction suitable for incorporation into a display device, reflector, or the like. The construction employs a closed loop of material having elongated side wall portions. The loop is generally cross-sectionally T-shaped with the top cross bar of the T forming the outside wall member of the loop and with the leg portion of the T forming an inwardly projecting flange of the loop. The construction can include a pair of plates, each plate having an upstanding shoulder formed on the inner face in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof. These plates are adapted to nest matingly in opposed side faces defined by the loop with such shoulders generally abutting and adapted to be interconnected together at points of abutment to interlock the plates over and about the loop.

ie States Lindner et al.

atet [1 1 REFLECTIVE DISPLAY DEVICE [75] Inventors: Henry Lindner, Woodale; James D.

Kennedy, Streamwood, both of Ill.

[73] Assignee: Beatrice Foods Company Div. Elgin Molded Plastics, Elgin, Ill.

[51] Int. Cl. G02B 5/12 [58] Field of Search 350/97, 102, 103, 107

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1962 Gunderson 350/97 10/1973 Dian et al. 350/97 Primary ExaminerRonald L. Wibert Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Rosenberger Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson ABSIRACT A construction suitable for incorporation into a display device, reflector, or the like. The construction employs a closed loop of material having elongated side wall portions. The loop is generally crosssectionally T-shaped with the top cross bar of the T forming the outside wall member of the loop and with the leg portion of the T forming an inwardly projecting flange of the loop. The construction can include a pair of plates, each plate having an upstanding shoulder formed on the inner face in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof. These plates are adapted to nest matingly in opposed side faces defined by the loop with such shoulders generally abutting and adapted to be interconnected together at points of abutment to interlock the plates over and about the loop.

20 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures REFLECTIVE DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of display devices, warning de vices, reflectors and the like it has become popular to utilize in a single such device more than a single element, and, in particular, it has become common to employ two or more different types of plastic materials in combination to form such a device, owing not only to the manufacturing economies associated with the use of plastic materials, but also to the superior effectiveness and use properties of the resulting devices made therewith.

When utilizing such plastic materials to manufacture such a device, it is usual first to form the separate elements or subassemblies, as by molding, extruding, or the like. Then, thereafter, such formed elements are assembled into the desired display or other device. Such an assembly procedure can involve such an appreciable amount of labor that a product device has an excessive cost associated with its manufacture, as many manufacturers have found to their detriment. It is therefore of basic importance in the manufacture of plastic display devices utilizing two or more different plastic elements in respective performed configurations to so construct such individual elements as to minimize the subsequent labor required to complete assembly of the final product device.

One particularly common construction utilized in a variety of display and warning devices incorporates a flattened reflective member combined with a border member thereabout. Contemporary construction practice involves the use of reflex reflective panels as such reflective members; such panels are separately formed or molded of a polymer, such as an acrylic resin, or the like. These panels are then mounted into and secured to a preformed border frame member or members, formed of a vinyl polymer, or the like, in a subsequent assembly operation.

Such a product device is typically costly owing to the large number of assembly steps and time-consuming operations utilized in such'assembly operation. Furthermorc, it is very common to find that the product device is not as rugged as desired and may be easily damaged or injured in normal use environments. so that the product device has a short life.

The art is continuously seeking new and better techniques for fabricating such devices in a more efficicnt and economical manner, and so as to have improved rigidity and stability over a wide variety of use condi tions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with a construction which is adapted for incorporation into a display device or the like and which can. and is intended to, provide structural improvements over the known prior art constructions adapted for similar uses.

The present invention provides a simple, effective and economical means for fabricating devices suitable for use in display or warning functions. A construction utilizing the principles of the present invention can be rapidly assembled from preformed plastic components and the product construction is adapted to display great rigidity and stability over a wide variety of use and environmental conditions.

The present invention is particularly useful in the manufacture of reflector devices of the type adapted for use on bicycles to prevent collisions.

The present invention is also adapted to the manufacture of multi-cornered warning and display devices having a border member combined with a reflective panel.

The present invention is further adapted for use in making reflectors, particularly those having opposed reflex reflective panels positioned in a back to back arrangement within a border member or frame.

Other and further aims, objects and utilities will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present specification taken together with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a construction of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the embodiment of FIG. I in assembled form;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. I but showing an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail, vertical sectional view through a side portion of the embodiment of FIG. 3 showing the manner in which the components interengage with one another; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary, detail longitudinal sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning to the drawings, there is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 an embodiment of this invention herein designated in its entirety by the numeral 10. Embodiment 10 comprises a closed frame member or loop 11 and a pair of plate-like members 12 and I3. The loop II is formed of molded plastic or metal and cross sectionally is generally characterized by having a T-shape. The cross bar (corresponding to the top portion of a T) forms an outside vertically extending (relative to an embodiment 10) wall member 15. The leg bar (corresponding to the upright portion of a T) forms an inwardly extending flange member 16.

The plate-like members 12 and 13 are formed of any convenient material such as molded plastic or metal. In the embodiment 10, members 12 and 13 are comprised of transparent plastic material, and each member 12 and 13 has a generally smooth outside face 17 and 18, respectively and an inside face 19 and 20, respectively, which has integrally formed therein a central sectionof a plurality of retro-reflective facets, so that members 12 and I3 are each retro-reflective of incident light, and so that embodiment 10 is a reflector assembly.

Each member 12 and 13 has integrally formed therein about the respective perimeters 24 and 25 thereof in spaced relationship to the edge thereof on respective inside faces I9 and 20 an upstanding shoulder portion 22 and 23, respectively. Each member 12 and I3 is adapted to engage matingly over a different opposed lateral side portion of loop 1 l with the perimeter 24 and 25, respectively, thereof being adjacent inside wall portions of the outside wall member I5 and also engaging respective opposite side wall portions of the flange member 16. The respective shoulder por tions 22 and 23 are adapted to abut against one another at their terminal edges when such members 12 and I3 I 26 extending laterally outwards from opposed side edges thereof. Each projection 26 has an aperture 27 to adapt the assembled embodiment for mounting.

In an assembled embodiment 10 the members 12 and 13 are bonded to one another across the abutting shoulders 22 and 23 by means of an adhesive, sonic welding or the like.

Suitable materials of construction for loop 1 I include polyvinyl chloride. vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymers, rubber modified polystyrene, rubber modified polyacrylate, or the like, and suitable materials of construction for members 12 and 13 include acrylic resins, polycarbonate resins, or the like. When sonic welding is to be used, a bead, typically about 0.015 inch thick is formed on the inner edges of a shoulder 22 or 23. The loop 11 is thus held by the members 12 and 13 by a clamping action which does not involve a direct bonding in any way of either member 12 or 13 to loop 11.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 an alternative embodiment is shown comprised ofa closed loop 31 and a pair of plate like members 32 and 33, the loop 31 and members 32 and 33 being formed ofsimilar materials to loop 11 and members 12 and 13. Loop 31 is cross-sectionally T shaped with a vertical outside wall member 34 and an inwardly extending flange member 35. The flange member 35 along its inner edge is periodically interrupted or notched at intervals 36. Also, each plate-like member 32 and 33 has a plurality of tabs 37 formed therein between the respective shoulder portions 38 and 39 thereof and the outside edge or perimeter 40 and 41, respectively, ofeach member 32 and 33. As before. in the ease of embodiment 10 when the members 32 and 33 are mounted over opposed side portions of loop 31, the tabs 37 are so positioned as to engage each one a different notch 36. This arrangement permits a member such, as 33 to be positioned and aligned with a loop 31 by means of coaction between the notches 36 and the tabs 37. Preferably, the height of a tab 37 is greater than the tab of the adjacent shoulder 38 or 39. Conveniently, each plate-like member 32 and 33 is formed with a channel 42 and 43 adjacent its respective shoulders 38 and 39 and continuously extending about the perimeter of its respective member 32 and 33. The channel 42 and 43 not only provides a slot to rest in when engaged with loop 31 but also is advantageous in a construction such as embodiment 30. where it is desired to sonically weld the respective members 32 and 33 together across the tab ends of shoulders 38 and 39. Observe that in embodiment 30 shoulder 38 of member 32 is equipped with a bead 44 for convenience in sonic welding the shoulder 38 to the shoulder 39, as those skilled in the art will appreciate. Although the notches 36 can be periodically and regularly spaced in relation to one another in a flange member 35 of loop 31, it is convenient and preferred as shown in FIG. 3 to have the notches 37 extend perimetrically only in about a half of the distance around a given plate-like member 32 and 33. Not only does such an arrangement permit freedom from alignment problems with opposed tabs on a pair of members such as plate-like members 32 and 33. but also such an arrangement permits one to employ a single mold to form each of the plate-like members 32 and 33, as those skilled in the art will appreciate. The perimeter 40 and 41 of each plate-like member 32 and 33 can, as shown in FIG. 3, characteristically be in the form of an outer flange whose terminal edge portion, respectively, is adapted to seat on a groove 46 and 47 on opposed lateral side faces of the flange member 35. In this way, the tabs 37 coact with the grooves 46 and 47 so as to permit a rather precise mounting of the respective plate-like members 32 and 33 relative to a loop 31 which permits the outside wall member 34 of loop 31 to serve as a protective means for an assembled embodiment 30.

Other and further embodiments and variations of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the present specification taken together with the drawings and no undue limitations are to be inferred or implied from the present disclosure.

We claim:

A construction adapted for incorporation into a display device or the like comprising:

A. a closed loop of material which cross-sectionally is generally characterized by having a T-shape in which the top cross bar of the T forms an outside generally vertically extending Wall member and in which the leg bar of the T forms an inwardly generally transversely projecting flange member,

B. a pair of plate-like members, each such member having an outside face and an inside face, each inside face having upstanding shoulder portions defined therein in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof, each such member being adapted to matingly engage over a different opposed lateral side portion of said loop with said perimeter thereof being adjacent inside wall portions of said outside wall member and engaging side wall portions of said projecting flange member, said respective shoulder portions of each such member being adapted to abut against one another when such members are so matingly engaged over such lateral side portions.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein a flange means projects laterally outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member.

3. The construction of claim 1 wherein said abutting shoulders are bonded together over said loop by bonding means between said abutting shoulder portions.

4. The construction of claim 3 wherein each of said plate-like members is a reflex reflector.

5. The construction of claim 3 wherein each of said loop and said plate-like members is formed of plastic and said bonding means comprises sonic welding.

6. The construction of claim 3 wherein said closed loop of material has a longitudinally extending groove defined on opposed side wall portions of said projecting flange member, each such groove being adapted for mating contact with perimeter portions of a different one of said plate-like members.

7. The construction of claim 6 wherein said groove on each respective side wall is adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange member and defines a shoulder in spaced. adjacent relationship to said inside edge.

8. The construction of Claim 6 wherein a plurality of notchlikc recesses are defined in spaced relationship to one another along the inside edge of said projecting flange member, the transverse depth of each such recess being generally not greater than the transverse distance from said grooves to said inside edge in that location.

9. The construction of claim 1 wherein one of said plate-like members is a reflex reflector.

10. The construction of claim 1 wherein said projecting flange member has a groove defined on each opposed side wall surface thereof and said perimeter of each such matingly engagable plate-like member is adapted to nest in one such groove when so matingly engaged. I

11. The construction of claim wherein each of said grooves is adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange memberv 12. The construction of claim 1 wherein said projecting flange member has a plurality of notches defined in the inside edge of said projecting flange member.

13. The construction of claim 12 wherein each such engagable engageable plate-like member is equipped with a plurality of upstanding tab means defined on said inside face thereof. each such tab means being so located about the perimeter thereof as to project into individual ones of said notches when such platelike member is so matingly engaged.

14. The construction of claim 1 wherein in each of said plate-like members. said perimeter is spaced from said shoulder portions by a channel.

15. The construction of claim 1 wherein said closed loop of material has a flange-like projection which is integrally formed therewith and which projects outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member.

16. The construction of claim 1 wherein each of said plate-like members is a molded. transparent. plastic reflector body which has a generally smooth outside face and an inside face in spaced relationship thereto with a plurality of lenticular facets integrally formed therein which are adapted for retro-reflection of incident light striking said outside face thereof at predetermined angles. the perimeter of each such plate-like member terminating in a flange which is integrally formed therewith. which normally upstands from said inside face. which continuously extends along such perimeter. and which is in spaced. parallel relationship to said shoulder portions.

17. A construction adapted for incorporation into a display device or the like comprising: 7

A. a closed loop which cross-sectionally is generally characterized by having a T-shape in which the top cross bar of the T forms an outside vertically extending wall member and in which the leg bar of the T forms an inwardly transversely projecting flange member said projecting flange member having a groove defined on each opposed side wall surface thereof. each of said grooves being adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange member. said projecting flange member further having a plurality of notches defined in said inside edge of said projecting flange member,

B. a pair of plate-like members. each such member having an outside face and an inside face, each in side face having upstanding shoulder portions defined therein in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof, each such plate-like member being adapted to matingly engage over a different opposed lateral side portion of said loop with said perimeter thereof being adjacent inside wall portions of said outside wall member and engaging side wall portions of said projecting flange member. said respective shoulder portions of each such member being adapted to abut against one another when such members are so matingly engaged over such lateral side portions. and said perimeter of each such matingly engagable plate-like member being further adapted to nest in one such groove when so matingly engaged. each such matingly engagable plate-like member further having a plurality of upstanding tab means defined on said inside face thereof each such tab means being so located about the perimeter thereof as to project into individual ones of said notches when such plate-like member is so matingly engaged.

18. The construction of claim 17 wherein each of said tab means is beveled on a face thereof adjacent said perimeter and is adapted to camingly engage adjacent wall portions of said projecting flange member when such plate-like members are so matingly engaged. thereby to position centrally each of such plate-like members within said loop.

19. The construction of claim 17 wherein. in each of said plate-like members. said perimeter is spaced from said shoulder portions by a channel.

20. The construction of claim 17 wherein a flange means projects laterally outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member. 

1. A construction adapted for incorporation into a display device or the like comprising: A. a closed loop of material which cross-sectionally is generally characterized by having a T-shape in which the top cross bar of the T forms an outside generally vertically extending wall member and in which the leg bar of the T forms an inwardly generally transversely projecting flange member, B. a pair of plate-like members, each such member having an outside face and an inside face, each inside face having upstanding shoulder portions defined therein in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof, each such member being adapted to matingly engage over a different opposed lateral side portion of said loop with said perimeter thereof being adjacent inside wall portions of said outside wall member and engaging side wall portions of said projecting flange member, said respective shoulder portions of each such member being adapted to abut against one another when such members are so matingly engaged over such lateral side portions.
 2. The construction of claim 1 wherein a flange means projects laterally outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member.
 3. The construction of claim 1 wherein said abutting shoulders are bonded together over said loop by bonding means between said abutting shoulder portions.
 4. The construction of claim 3 wherein each of said plate-like members is a reflex reflector.
 5. The construction of claim 3 wherein each of said loop and said plate-like members is formed of plastic and said bonding means comprises sonic welding.
 6. The construction of claim 3 wherein said closed loop of material has a longitudinally extending groove defined on opposed side wall portions of said projecting flange member, each such groove being adapted for mating contact with perimeter portions of a different one of said plate-like members.
 7. The construction of claim 6 wherein said groove on each respective side wall is adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange member and defines a shoulder in spaced, adjacent relationship to said inside edge.
 8. The construction of Claim 6 wherein a plurality of notch-like recesses are defined in spaced relationship to one another along the inside edge of said projecting flange member, the transverse depth of each such recess being generally not greater than the transverse distance from said grooves to said inside edge in that location.
 9. The construction of claim 1 wherein one of said plate-like members is a reflex reflector.
 10. The construction of claim 1 wherein said projecting flange member has a groove defined on each opposed side wall surface thereof and said perimeter of each such matingly engagable plate-like member is adapted to nest in one such groove when so matingly engaged.
 11. The construction of claim 10 wherein each of said grooves is adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange member.
 12. The construction of claim 1 wherein said projecting flange member has a plurality of notches defined in the inside edge of said projecting flange member.
 13. The construction of claim 12 wherein each such engagable engageable plate-like member is equipped with a plurality of upstanding tab means defined on said inside face thereof, each such tab means being so located about the perimeter thereof as to project into individual ones of said notches when such plate-like member is so matingly engaged.
 14. The construction of claim 1 wherein in each of said plate-like members, said perimeter is spaced from said shoulder portions by a channel.
 15. The construction of claim 1 wherein said closed loop of material has a flange-like projection which is integrally formed therewith and which projects outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member.
 16. The construction of claim 1 wherein each of said plate-like members is a molded, transparent, plastic reflector body which has a generally smooth oUtside face and an inside face in spaced relationship thereto with a plurality of lenticular facets integrally formed therein which are adapted for retro-reflection of incident light striking said outside face thereof at predetermined angles, the perimeter of each such plate-like member terminating in a flange which is integrally formed therewith, which normally upstands from said inside face, which continuously extends along such perimeter, and which is in spaced, parallel relationship to said shoulder portions.
 17. A construction adapted for incorporation into a display device or the like comprising: A. a closed loop which cross-sectionally is generally characterized by having a T-shape in which the top cross bar of the T forms an outside vertically extending wall member and in which the leg bar of the T forms an inwardly transversely projecting flange member said projecting flange member having a groove defined on each opposed side wall surface thereof, each of said grooves being adjacent the inside edge of said projecting flange member, said projecting flange member further having a plurality of notches defined in said inside edge of said projecting flange member, B. a pair of plate-like members, each such member having an outside face and an inside face, each inside face having upstanding shoulder portions defined therein in spaced relationship to the perimeter thereof, each such plate-like member being adapted to matingly engage over a different opposed lateral side portion of said loop with said perimeter thereof being adjacent inside wall portions of said outside wall member and engaging side wall portions of said projecting flange member, said respective shoulder portions of each such member being adapted to abut against one another when such members are so matingly engaged over such lateral side portions, and said perimeter of each such matingly engagable plate-like member being further adapted to nest in one such groove when so matingly engaged, each such matingly engagable plate-like member further having a plurality of upstanding tab means defined on said inside face thereof each such tab means being so located about the perimeter thereof as to project into individual ones of said notches when such plate-like member is so matingly engaged.
 18. The construction of claim 17 wherein each of said tab means is beveled on a face thereof adjacent said perimeter and is adapted to camingly engage adjacent wall portions of said projecting flange member when such plate-like members are so matingly engaged, thereby to position centrally each of such plate-like members within said loop.
 19. The construction of claim 17 wherein, in each of said plate-like members, said perimeter is spaced from said shoulder portions by a channel.
 20. The construction of claim 17 wherein a flange means projects laterally outwardly from a portion of said outside wall member. 